As has been discussed elsewhere, the historical record is not clear or consistent in the matter of the term ‘stucco’. The term appears to have many meanings, or sometimes little meaning at all—it has been applied to a range of different materials and techniques over time. It is Italian in origin, and originally described fine quality plaster executed in lime putty and hand modelled in situ to produce low relief decorations on walls and ceilings. Strictly speaking therefore, the term stucco should apply only to the very fine surface finishes of multi-layered interior plaster work, but in English usage and in common Australian usage it is also used in relation to exterior plasterwork.